Digging it in California :)!!

[MrHF]

A spot I've done well at before. Went and ran half a yard or so for alittle better then 4dwt I have to pack the pay out to work it through now we can have some stuff sent out from this contact I got on the other day. The box is just something you can shovel into, but it catches some pretty fine stuff to poke away ;

 

[arizau]

4dwt. I shudder at the thought of humping 8 or 10 buckets of paydirt very far though. I don't see a screen classifier in your pix...hope you used one to maximize your efforts.

Good luck.

 

[MrHF]

I use a screen on my box. I use a vehicle for the buckets. Only the best gets washed, alot of heavies and clay,really its a uniform layer. Any rock in that should really be crushed for values along with the worked heavies. Im pretty close to where this was coming off.. It would of been closer to a yard of material, I switched to those 5 gal buckets.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Those small draws were skipped over some times.
How far to the pay layer are you digging? Guessing about 2.5’?

Probably only a 10” thick layer on the bottom?

I see mercury, but obviously it has not been worked.

It looks like you have carefully covered your tracks.

I once ran into a similiar draw. 3’ deep x 2’w is what I dug, with gold sitting in every low spot in the bedrock. Dirt turned blackish through the pay layer. Flat rocks laying on the bedrock. Didn’t do as well as you did.

This should be a banner find in my opinion.

 

[MrHF]

Those small draws were skipped over some times.
How far to the pay layer are you digging? Guessing about 2.5’?

Probably only a 10” thick layer on the bottom?

I see mercury, but obviously it has not been worked.

It looks like you have carefully covered your tracks.

I once ran into a similiar draw. 3’ deep x 2’w is what I dug, with gold sitting in every low spot in the bedrock. Dirt turned blackish through the pay layer. Flat rocks laying on the bedrock. Didn’t do as well as you did.

This should be a banner find in my opinion.

Yes you nailed on all counts.2-3' down, pay is about 8-10" X12" a few pockets, a drop, and some low spots. We have to retort, Still . Theyd chased it but only worked the big runs, left alot of crumbs for me. I tried dry washing but the clay needs the wet to soften enough to get it all out.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Yes they sometimes jumped ahead when the draws narrowed or became steep.
In my instance, I sample panned the overburden and it was barren.
So I just shoveled it to the side, then used a plastic spoon and Goldbug 2 to seperate gold once I got down to the pay.
Came away with some nice gold (several ounces). Covered the excavation back up every day.

One thing to investigate is a dry land suction nozzle in conjunction with a highbanker.
Little snow melt or runoff. Only takes about 100 - 200 gallons recirculated with settlement areas.

What turned you on to start digging?

 

[MrHF]

Yes Sir I started this to quit cowboying. I was always out looking at the country for sign anyways, I just stopped looking for cows. Always had a knack for finding things but this was better then that and it came with a fever Enough of one, that my firat marriage couldnt stand the bug , but by golly the second one she loves the stuff and being out in it... Most the time I can pull a wage or better .. How about yourself? What hooked you?

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Long story short, I’ve always been involved in related hobbies.
Enjoy the outdoors. But what kind of really triggered the fever..
A crappy divorce. It was litterally in my best interest to skip dodge and disappear into the mountains as often as possible.
When it was “my weekend”, I’d bring my kids.

Detecting nuggets put me over the edge. I enjoy history, so it just works for me.
Something to focus on, I think. Needed exercize.

I really enjoy being a bachelor and it fits well with mining.

But what I really meant..what caused you to start digging your draw. Why there?

 

[MrHF]

Ahh I started in this spot because it was in a gold producing area, it was a new club claim that no one was prospecting. Went and had a look to find shallow hard pack. So i packed a dry washer out and worked the easiest area which was a narrow pinch. I pulled a half oz in two days of slow easy digging, then got nailed by the rangers in a line of their guilty until you can talk your way out of it. None the less had to go fight that, when that was over. I made sure the spot was reclaimed and left the area(its been a few plus years since id been to this claim) ... So the first hour I was back prospecting it, here the rangers come (not worth sticking around for them) , I came back and night mined it. Followed up the next day reclaiming the area and here they come again. This time they ran all my information but my nose is clean so it was just an hour of explaining and undue burden .. And oh yeah gold and this time no court hang ups. Win win I needed some gold to be able to look into some hardrock spots, but I wont go back to that spot again. You never know what those rangers will do or how far they'll go to nail you.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

So you had to go to court on this issue? Sounds like a bunch of BS.
You found a good spot and the disturbance was minimal and temporary.

Actually sounds like a fairly clean cut case of harassment.

I’d be going back with a video camera.

Since you mentioned hardrock. If you get into pocket gold country, there are many similiar little narrow draws below eroded deposits. Not many people willing to dig.

 

[MrHF]

I had to go sell my gold to pay for the tickets. They said i was off trail with my vehicle, though the roads show on my Metzger map. They pulled me over when i moved my vehicle, searching everything, and blasting my name all over the channels,ran my guns,tied me up explaining the claim and my access, said my hand tools were making to big of an impact which I argued it all was up to par and again they were hand tools and a private claim. But yeah town to sell gold and pay the one ticket which was alot less then legal fees (and they know that). I quit mining for a couple years not long after that. Just wasn't worth their nonsense. But my bugs back and im just making enough to get some gear back and a wage.... We've been setting an rv up to be able to afford some trips out into other districts where i can put that material in my box .. I would really like to get back into Clearwater and get on some pockets. When I got back from Oz I had bought a nice little claim to dredge on in Clearwater forest but sold it to pay for my first wifes unhappiness .. So this year we will aim for trinity then some beach deposits in OR/WA and come back down 95..Where in the world do you run amuck?

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Things are definitely out of hand. The people that lose are the ones that take it on the nose and pay the ransom.
Average guy does not have the resources to bring a suit against the government.

Denied access to private property through management rules.
Shovel is causing too much damage?! What are you supposed to do, dig with your bare hands..use sticks?

It’s important to try to reclaim and restore the area at the end of each day to the extent possible so as to avoid the “too much damage” argument.

On a positive note, you sure got some nice gold outa that trench.

 

[MrHF]

And at the end of the day the gold is what matters to me, cheers

 

[N-Lionberger]

What forest was that in? I had a similar experience in El Darado National Forest a few years back, they were hiding in wait and pulled me over when I moved my truck, pulled everything out searched. Gave me a whopper of a ticket said I was off road, They were concerned about the impact of my activity they suggested that my digging on the bank of a stream would cause the whole hillside road and all to slide into the creek it wasn't funny.

 

[MrHF]

This was in kern County. Definitely misinformation and its like they had orders to harass or disrupt mining operations. They have all sorts of Notice Of Intent placards going up theyve locked black gulch up and expect you to pay to use it. They really are making it difficult.. Night mining is something an old friend recommended..

 

[Goldwasher]

This was in kern County. Definitely misinformation and its like they had orders to harass or disrupt mining operations. They have all sorts of Notice Of Intent placards going up theyve locked black gulch up and expect you to pay to use it. They really are making it difficult.. Night mining is something an old friend recommended..

The government has Notice of Intent Placards up?

The whole canyon is full of claims. It would be claim owners who trigger notice of intent.

The government isn't charging a fee to prospect.

If it wasn't so close to Babylon the Rangers wouldn't be so edgy.

 

[MrHF]

This has something to do withthem improving the area. They put gravel on the road, drug a few toilots in, added some concrete slabs, signs, alot of new rocks blocking trails,. The placard is up on the government notice board right past thecattle gaurd and gate. Day use was 70-80+$ and overnight was 130-150ish.This was a bound paper with forest service as acting agency.The rangers are beyond edgy, they are over stepping. Creating an undue burden, investigating with zero cause. You have to talk your way out of every situation. Maybe call the sheriffs and civil court is the answer for someone with resources. I will simply go to bigger gold country and work better claims.

 

[Goldwasher]

Day use for $80 bucks where?

I've spent quite a bit of time in the area especially at the hot springs.

Theres not a day use area anywhere thats more than $10-15 bucks.. No camping near as much as you stated.

Could you share more info? Sounds like the locals are trying to keep people away. Something fishy is going on.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Ridiculous harassment! Someday someone's gonna snap with that going on! I've heard of people's equipment getting confiscated too!

We dont have any of that in Colorado that I've ever heard of.....pure crazy! Seems everyone's forestry officials have gone bonkers except for ours? Weird. I'll stay in Colorado where its safe geeez!

Post a sign at your claim that says-No trespassing! I have guns and a backhoe! I never have any unwanted visitors at my claim. Its really kind of boring.

 

[Clay Diggins]

The notice of intent is for the upcoming forest plan NEPA EIS.

Dispersed camping is free. If you pay for camping in undeveloped campgrounds or parking you are making a donation of your own free will. Several Federal Court decisions have upheld the law preventing fees for unimproved, camping, picnicking or parking.

There is no such thing as a fee to prospect on the public lands. Silly story. Lots of claims up that way do your research.

Always drama coming out of Babylon. The BS artists do more to scare people out of the woods than the rangers ever will.

Welcome to California.

Heavy Pans